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Sitting in a crowded, overheated, theatre was certainly not how my tenth birthday was supposed to play out. The big double digits, the one … zero …, the main event of my childhood and I was stuck at some high school music show? The audacity. Anyway, the usual pre-show buzz was making its way through the audience, people reading through the program and discussing the songs they were most excited about. Don’t get me wrong, I was excited to see my siblings perform but did it have to be on MY birthday? The lights dimmed, and the audience simmered down and suddenly it had begun. Here’s what I remember: various slow ballads playing in the background while I twiddle my thumbs and try not to fidget, the raucous crowd of high schoolers in the back row yelling students’ names as they walked on stage, gossiping about the acts during intermission, my brother and sister singing their filler act, but what stuck with me the most was the shared smiles between the students during the performances. Watching the adrenaline take over, the fear melt away and just pure joy overcome these high school students when they performed with their friends, doing something they love. I didn’t leave that performance a changed person or anything, come on, I was ten. But a new goal had started forming in my brain, and with the determination and ambition that every stubborn ten year old has I set my heart and mind on being a part of the choir program. 

Music has always had its place in my life. My father was the conductor of a choir in London as well as teaching at University College London so naturally I found myself surrounded by music, whether or not I was the one performing it. And as music started being integrated into my education, those classes became my haven away from the academic subjects that came less naturally to me, as is the case for many students of the arts. The adrenaline that rushes through the body at the prospect of performing, and the joy it brings has no equal, not to mention the community that is found within the classes. Though not everyone has the same reaction to being on stage. Some suffer from stage fright, performance anxiety and other things which prevent them from enjoying the experience. Most people at some point have experienced one of those, most commonly during the highs and lows of middle school, with the swathes of changes it brings. The wide variety of individuals' experience within the Performing Arts prompted the question: How do the Performing Arts contribute to the development of self-esteem of adolescents in school?

Music has an impact at all ages of life. From pre-birth through adulthood there are a range of effects it can have; social, emotional, neurological and developmental. Focusing on the aspects of music in school, music based classes create a sense of community for students. Often in middle school, students base their value on how they are viewed by their peers. The choral teacher of a local middle school, Mrs. Anderson, has been immersed in the arts since she was a child, starting piano early on and struggling with confidence from her first recital at age 12. Hearing her speak about her own personal experience with performing and how it influenced and developed with her personal growth, she spoke to the reality that Performing Arts classes allow children to connect with students they may not interact with usually. Their involvement in Performing Arts classes forces students to create bonds outside of their regular social circles. Another local teacher who has been performing for her whole life, Mrs. Ryken, solidified this in a discussion of her students' experience. Working predominantly with elementary aged children, she has witnessed the connections that can be formed within the classroom. She recounted one particular situation where this phenomenon was evident. Rehearsals for the annual school play were in progress. There was one particular child who seemed rather left out and secluded at the beginning of the process. Mrs. Ryken noted that after a while the kids started finding common interests within the musical world. This prompted  “more self esteem built up with her and also a community, a connection to a community”. As this connection grew, this student became more confident on stage, around their peers and they showed more investment and enjoyment from the time spent both rehearsing and performing. This is one of many stories evidencing how music and the Performing Arts can benefit youth both socially and psychologically. Graham Welch, a professor at the University of London who specialises in researching Musical Behaviour and Development in Children found that “The social benefits relate to an enhanced sense of social inclusion” while the psychological benefits found “relate to intra-personal communication and the development of individual identity, both in music and through music” (Welch 2). The identities that can be found by students through music are also important because “they provide a means by which people can share emotions, intentions and meanings'' (MacDonald 150). The expression of emotions, paired with the increased empathy that is found to occur after interaction with music, creates a space where things such as social cohesion and inclusion can form, in addition to personal development, self belief and teamwork (Hallam). Anderson reinforced this idea. She, like many other music teachers values the group over soloists and included that “working as a group on something and creating something as a whole group is so incredibly exhilarating for these kids because they are just part of something bigger”. She went as far as saying that there is a certain “satisfaction” that comes from performing in a group. The protection from vulnerability that can be found when performing in a group compared to as a soloist relates back to the sense of community formed through these Performing Arts classes. Group performances allow students a safe space to become more comfortable with performing without being forced into a spotlight. It allows for mistakes to be made and learned from without excess attention, and successes to be celebrated not only by trusted adults but by peers too. The confidence that grows from performing in a group can be what makes the difference in how a student views performances. 

Not all the effects of Performing Arts in school are positive though. Due to the fact that their egos are so delicate at this age, many students are ridiculed for their various interests. Unfortunately, the arts are often used as a source for this ridicule. Anderson discussed one example that hit close to home. She mentioned how her husband and brothers all played string instruments growing up. As they got older it became “less cool” to be a guy playing string instruments and more demeaning comments were made. These comments had such a detrimental effect on her husband’s brothers that a few actually stopped playing their instruments to prevent taunting. 

Gender in Performing Arts and, more predominantly, harmful gender norms based in society's views of masculinity are one of the largest negative aspects to Performing Arts. Many students may choose to not participate in Performing Arts classes because it is viewed as emasculating (Dempsey). Of those who have chosen to participate, the majority have reported that they have received negative or demeaning comments from their peers relating to Performing Arts and their participation in it (Bannerman). While this is incredibly worrisome and it is imperative that this issue is worked to be resolved, the solution is not to remove Performing Arts from schools as a whole. The solution must be to destigmatize Performing Arts and music classes and prevent gender norms from being perpetuated in education. Teaching students early on that extracurricular activities do not have an assigned gender. Exposing all children to any and all extracurriculars at an early age and allowing any student to participate without judgement. The communities formed in class also allow for protection against negative responses to the arts. Students rally together to protect each other. The positives of Performing Arts classes outweigh the negatives not only socially but in how they contribute to academics. The choice of students to participate in these classes despite the stigmas impressed upon them is tribute to how beneficial these classes are.

It seems that the aspects of arts classes that turn many away may be the actual performing. Students' views of music classes in all respects, social and academic, can be affected both positively and negatively by the performing portion of arts classes. On one hand it can be rewarding and “ incredibly exhilarating” (Anderson). While on the other hand it may create self doubt and the wrong situation could cause a student to internalize and withdraw, “their egos are so delicate at this age, that if people laugh in the audience at the wrong time. I haven’t seen it necessarily in choir concerts but definitely in other situations where adults laugh because ‘it's cute’ and they aren’t conscious of how awful that could feel, there’s that risk” (Anderson). Performing gives students a way to express themselves, whether they are performing on stage solo or with a group “It’s very healthy for them to be able to express themselves and get over barriers that they feel self conscious about and then realize that they can do it” (Anderson). One study of how youth orchestras, and the emphasis on performance, benefit students expresses that “Youth orchestras train musicians in stress and crisis management, teaching them to think creatively, to be problem-solvers, disciplined and poised, all character traits that are useful in many walks of life” (Collett 109). Negative aspects of performing includes how performance anxiety and negative reactions and harmful mentors can affect the mental wellbeing of performers. There is a responsibility in teachers of Performing Arts classes to teach coping mechanisms for performance anxiety because the pressure to practice and perform “may have a positive impact on the performance on the one hand but a negative impact on the musician’s general health on the other hand” (Burin and Osório 1). There is always the possibility that getting rejected has a lasting effect on students in a “consequent lack of confidence or motivation for music in school” (Pitts 12). But for the most part the negativity of performance based classes stems not from the performing itself but from negative or wrongly motivated teachers and mentors who create an environment that decreases the enjoyment of the class. This point was made and reinforced by Ryken and Anderson separately when they discussed, “What negative impacts can performing have on students?”. The reason that most students continue in performance based classes after joining is the performance. In the study of the benefits of the Queensland Youth Orchestra, a large number of the participants, when asked, stated that the performing aspect was one of the main reasons they joined the orchestra, the only competing reasons being musical development (Collett 101). There are definitely some aspects of performing which negatively affect self confidence in students, performance anxiety, the fear of being laughed at and ridiculed, but there are equally as many ways in which performing positively affect confidence in students, finding a safe place to express oneself, the rush that stems from the adrenaline of a good performance. Even if students are ambivalent about performing to begin with, more often than not “they get pulled along and then they realize and see how satisfying it is” (Anderson). 

First hand accounts express that music based classes not only help students find communities to surround them but also keep them motivated to participate in school; “you push yourself to do better… push yourself to succeed” (Moorefield-Lang 5). A research paper by a former middle school teacher, Heather Moorefield-Lang, presented students' reflections on their Performing Arts classes. One student expressed that it “helps in learning and opening my mind” while another states that they actually “look forward to something in school” because of the contribution of arts to their learning. Another example comes from the interview with Mrs. Ryken, the elementary school music teacher. She expressed that in her childhood, she felt as though she was not academically proficient but she found a home in the music classes provided in school. That was where she found her purpose. “I was in the lower group all the time and academics didn’t come easily to me so music basically kind of saved me honestly”. There is significant scientific evidence that points towards music, and music based classes, having a positive effect on students' neurological development and performance in school. One study found that “musical training over only 15 months in early childhood leads to structural brain changes that diverge from typical brain development” (Hyde et al. 6). Research performed by Professor Susan Hallam, of Education and Music Psychology at University College London found that “those playing since the age of 5 have quicker responses and increased activity of neurons in the brain to both music and speech sounds” (Hallam 7). She also revealed that learning the piano at a young age impacts the development of vocabulary and verbal sequencing and improves vocabulary and verbal sequencing scores “significantly”. Another study titled Involvement in the Arts and Human Development: General Involvement and Intensive Involvement in Music and Theatre Art found that involvement in the arts improved test scores, attentiveness in class and lowered the dropout rate (Catterall et al. 5).

Not only does the music positively affect the development of youth from a young age, it also contributes to their willingness to be in school, their attentiveness in class and there is evidence showing an improvement in test scores. 

While there are mixed reviews about the actual act of performing, there is abundant evidence supporting the notion that Performing Arts classes benefit students' confidence and self-esteem in themselves and in the classroom. There are definitely things that reduce enjoyment in certain situations such as performance anxiety or the perpetuation of insecurities confirmed by audience reactions. Then again there must be a reason as to why so many musicians and actors push past their anxiety to put themselves in a position as vulnerable as performing. Graham Welch states that singing “builds self-confidence, promotes self-esteem, always engages the emotions, promotes social inclusion, supports social skill development, and enables young people of different ages and abilities to come together successfully to create something special in the arts”. It can be assumed that though this specific publication focuses on singing, this can be applied to all musical and Performing Arts practices. There is a current onslaught of cuts when it comes to Performing Arts classes and this in turn lessens students’ exposure to performing and music itself. This could affect their personal confidence and it has a negative effect on social and academic aspects in school. Not only is it irresponsible to make a decision for students rather than allow them to make a decision by themselves, especially regarding their future, it also prevents growth that could benefit them in the long-run. Performing arts classes incentivise positive performance in other classes which are more highly regarded by the school board. The increased confidence in one's sense of self in turn increases the chances of active participation in school. Involvement in Performing Arts classes increases self-esteem which helps with test taking, more specifically, oral test taking which may occur in foreign language classes or presentations. Addressing and overcoming the parts of performing that cause stress and can be seen as negatives encourages growth and leads to skills that can be used across all areas of life in the future. Live performances allow for adaptability and critical thinking skills to develop in youth in addition to that already spoken of confidence and connection to the community surrounding them. Socially, it allows students to reach outside of their comfort zones and find comradery with like-minded or interested people who form a community. Developmentally it fosters skills which can be used both inside and outside of the classroom as well as after school in adult life. The classes centred around the arts can cause a fluctuation in self-esteem due to the opportunities to succeed and fail, maybe more so than any other class offered in school. But the reward outweighs the risk it seems. The communities that are formed, the occasions that increase students' confidence both in a group and as a soloist and the opportunities given to prove oneself are endless. And while these all have the risk of diminishing students' self-esteem, when the situation arises where a student succeeds, proves themselves worthy to themselves and their peers, the high of a successful performance makes everything worth it.  

 

Works Cited

Anderson, Sally. Personal Interview. 12 March 2022. 

Bannerman, Julie. “Singing in School Culture: Exploring Access to Participation in a Rural Choral Program.” Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, no. 222, 2019, pp. 44-62, https://doi.org/10.5406/bulcouresmusedu.222.0044.

Burin, Ana Beatriz, and Osório L. Flávia. “Music Performance Anxiety: A Critical Review of Etiological Aspects, Perceived Causes, Coping Strategies and Treatment.” Archives of Clinical Psychiatry (São Paulo), vol. 44, no. 5, 2017, pp. 127-133, https://doi.org/10.1590/0101-60830000000136.

Catterall, James S., et al. “Involvement in the Arts and Human Development: General Involvement and Intensive Involvement in Music and Theatre Arts.” 1999. New School Media, https://www.newschool.ie/media/2018/01/Involvement-in-the-Arts-and-Human-Development.pdf.

Collett, Morwenna. “The Queensland Youth Orchestra and Its Role in the Development of Young Musicians: A Case Study of Benefits.” 2007. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/ielapa.988031340684817.

Dempsey, Erin. “Music Performance Anxiety in Children and Teenagers: Effects of Perfectionism, Self-Efficacy, and Gender.” 2019, https://piano.uottawa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/38.-Dempsey_Comeau_Anxiety-2019.pdf.

Hallam Mbe, Prof Susan. The Power of Music: A Research Synthesis on the Impact of Actively Making Music on the Intellectual, Social and Personal Development of Children and Young People. International Music Education Research Centre (Ime, 2015. Accessed 18 March 2022.

Hyde, Krista L., et al. “Musical training shapes structural brain development.” The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, vol. 29, no. 10, 2009, pp. 3019-3025, 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5118-08.2009.

MacDonald, Raymond, et al., editors. Handbook of Musical Identities. OUP Oxford, 2017.

Moorefield-Lang, Heather M. rts Voices: Middle School Students and the Relationships of the Arts to Their Motivation and Self-Efficacy, 2010, https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ875244.

Pitts, Stephanie E. “Extra-curricular Music in UK Schools: Investigating the Aims, Experiences and Impact of Adolescent Musical Participation.” International Journal of Education & the Arts, 2008, http://www.ijea.org/v9n10/v9n10.pdf.

Ryken, Judy. Personal Interview. 28 February 2022.

Welch, Graham, et al. Researching the Impact of the National Singing Programme 'Sing Up' in England: Main Findings from the First Three Years (2007-2010): Children's Singing Development, Self-Concept and Sense of Social Inclusion. Institute of Education Press (IOE Press), 2010.

Welch, Graham Frederick. “The Benefits of Singing for Adolescents.” The Luton Music Mix |, February 2012, http://www.thelutonmusicmix.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/The-benefits-of-singing-for-adolescents-GFW.pdf.

 

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Chase, Rachel V. Impact of Music Instruction on Social-Emotional Competence, 2012, https://www.proquest.com/openview/d98fff92144003854fa6b19c6de3f99a/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750

Cooksey, J., & Welch, G.F. (1998). Adolescence, Singing Development and National Curricula Design. British Journal of Music Education. 

 

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